


A Long Overdue Conversation

by evanescentdawn



Series: Elric Brothers [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:22:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28212348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evanescentdawn/pseuds/evanescentdawn
Summary: “You need to stop doing that, brother.”Ed presses his lips. Shifts away to stare at the wall. He doesn’t reply but Al can wait, he won’t let his brother escape this conversation again. It’s been long-due.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric
Series: Elric Brothers [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056977
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	A Long Overdue Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> For the whump prompt: “This is gonna hurt. A lot. But just for a minute. I need to pop it back into place.”

Ed grits his teeth. “It’s _nothing_.” He says, but as soon as Al’s hands settle on his shoulder, he’s hissing and obviously in pain. Determinedly, doing everything he can to _not_ let out a sound.

It’s so like his brother that Al can’t help slightly smiling, despite everything.

He hates seeing him like this. But he knows even if he says anything, Ed wouldn’t listen to him. He would continue to rush in like that.

Instead, Al ignores it—for now. Pushes it to the back of his mind, his eyes are starting pricking with unshed tears and he can’t cry. He doesn’t want to make his brother worry. (Lately, he feels like that’s all he’s been doing.)

And Al has something to focus on now. Namely: Ed’s dislocated shoulder.

“Of course,” He hums, responding to his brother’s blatant lie.

Ed glares at him from behind his bangs, and Al doesn’t try to hide smile. It makes his brother more annoyed.

Al eyes the shoulder before making a decision, bending his head in slightly to say something into Ed’s ear. It has the desired effect.

“ _WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE_ —”

In a swift, quick motion, Al pops his shoulder back. The distraction has served it’s purpose, Ed only lets a pained hiss.

He then quietens. So, Al is briefly spared then. He watches as Ed raises his arm and tests it out a little, and when he’s satisfied, he points a finger at him. “ _You_.” He says, dark eyes. A promise of hurt behind them.

Or maybe, not.

Al cuts him, before they slip into their normal banter—before his brother can push away this incident and ignore what happened.

His voice is tight and a whisper when he speaks. “You need to stop doing that, brother.”

Ed presses his lips. Shifts away to stare at the wall. He doesn’t reply but Al can wait, he won’t let his brother escape this conversation again. It’s been long-due.

Ed spares him a quick glance, breathes out. And then, finally speaks. “...I couldn’t—” He starts. His face twists and his breathing quickens. “When I saw you like that—all I could think of—”

Al’s eyes widen, there’s something like alarm rising inside of him.

Ed stops, his breathing is full blown out coming out in rapid bursts now and his automail hand is clutching at his own chest. “I—” He can barely manage that little word.

He’s having _a panic attack_. Al immediately reaches out to cover his hands over Ed’s. “Focus on my breathing,” He instructs.

It's painful, slow process but his brother’s wide eyes and rapid breathing, his pale skin eventually turn back to normal. Al murmuring guidance along the way, his hand holding tightly on his brother’s. _I’m here and I am not leaving._

When Ed panic settles, there’s an odd-tense atmosphere. Al has an awful clenching-twist in his stomach and he wants to cry.

Wordlessly, he pulls Ed towards him and hugs him.

Sorry, he doesn’t say. (He had already said so many times and it’s not ever going to be enough.) Al instead buries his nose in Ed’s hair, grips him tighter and says, “I know.” His voice is a bit choked. “But—”

He needs a moment, the mental image of Ed just diving straight into the danger and moving in front of him—lucky that it was just his shoulder, lucky that it wasn’t anything serious.

“I can’t let you do that anymore,” He whispers, vulnerable, tears silently running down.

Ed clenches his hand—not the automail, this careful consideration makes the affection and ache in him rise—on his arm and gets so uncomfortably close to him.

Then, Al feels his shirt get wet.

Ed tightens his fingers and his tears come slowly, quietly, muffled into his chest. It hurts, hurts in a way that can’t put into words—his throat narrows and there’s something heavy inside of him—to see Ed like this; to hear his, feel the restrainted way his brother is shaking.

“I know,” Al repeats. (Does he?) It's hard to get the words out, it’s choked out of him, sounds rough but it’s important to say. He needs to say this. “But you can’t throw yourself in like that, you can’t—what if you had—”

“It could’ve been more worse than a simple dislocated shoulder.”

The woman was aiming for his neck.

Al wouldn’t know what to do if—

“No promises,” Is all his brother can say now, voice all hoarse, briefly squeezing his arm.

Al breathes out and holds him tighter.

(It’s enough.)

(For now.)

**Author's Note:**

> Totally obsessed with that finale—Al dying temporarily—just oh god, there’s so much I want to write about it! Ed getting nightmares, Ed being so protective to the point it gets destructive. And Al with guilt! Al soothing Ed’s worries with reassurances... 
> 
> I just have a lot of feels. 
> 
> Also: I know nothing about dislocated shoulders ‘cept like basic, basic knowledge, haha. So if any part of this...is inaccurate... pls ignore.
> 
> And as always, thanks for reading! *grins* You’re a gem. ♥️


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